SDE Feature Class
Tags
Land-cover, National Seashore, Point Reyes National Seashore, Vegetation, oceans, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, National Park Service Area, Wetlands, San Francisco Bay Area, North America, San Mateo County, Vegetation, Marin County, environment, PORE, biota, California, Golden Gate Biosphere Reserve, Plant Communities, Point Reyes National Seashore, Ground-surface, San Francisco County, Inventory, Aerial Photo Interpretation
The purpose of this spatial data is to provide the National Park Service the necessary tools to wisely manage the natural resources within this park system. Several parks, representing different regions, environmental conditions, and vegetation types, were chosen by BRD to be part of the prototype phase of the program. The initial goal of the prototype phase is to "develop, test, refine, and finalize the standards and protocols" to be used during the production phase of the project. This includes the development of a standardized vegetation classification system for each park and the establishment of photo interpretation, field, and accuracy assessment procedures. Point Reyes National Seashore and Golden Gate National Recreation Area were initially identified as one of the prototype projects within the National Park System for the USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program.
The National Park Service (NPS), in conjunction with the Biological Resources Division (BRD) of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), has implemented a program to develop a uniform hierarchical vegetation mapping methodology and classification at a national level and apply it to National Parks. The purpose of the data is to document the state of vegetation within Point Reyes National Seashore, Golden Gate National Recreation Area and the surrounding wildlands during 1994, thereby providing reference data for further analysis at the Regional or Service-wide level. The vegetation units of this map were determined through stereoscopic interpretation of aerial photographs supported by field sampling and ecological analysis. The vegetation boundaries were identified on the photographs by means of the photographic signatures and collateral information on slope, hydrology, geography, and vegetation in accordance with the Standardized National Vegetation Classification System (October 1995). The mapped vegetation primarily reflects conditions that existed during 1994 and 1995. Several sets of aerial photography were utilized for this project: 1) NOAA 1:24,000 March 1994 Natural Color Prints (Leaf Off) covering Point Reyes NS, the northern portion and southern coastal portions of Golden Gate NRA, and the western two thirds of Mt. Tamalpais State Park; 2) Pacific Aerial Survey 1:24,000 August 1995 Natural Color Prints (Leaf On) covering the southern portions of Golden Gate NRA and the San Francisco Watershed district; 3) Pacific Aerial Survey 1:24,000 November 1995 Natural Color Prints (Leaf Change) covering Samuel P. Taylor State Park and portions of the GGNRA; 4) 1:36,000 August 1991 Natural Color Prints (Leaf On) covering the eastern portion of Mt. Tamalpais State Park; 5) 1:12,000 August 1990 Natural Color Prints (Leaf On) covering Samuel P. Taylor State Park. (Supplemental data set - not interpreted off of); 6) 1:12,000 June 1993 Natural Color Prints (Leaf On) covering coastal portions of Mt. Tamalpais State Park (Supplemental data set - not interpreted off of); 7) Hammon-Jensen-Wallen 1:12,000 August 1996 CIR Prints and Diapositives (Leaf On) covering the Vision Fire Burn Area; 8) 1:12,000 April 1984 CIR Prints were provided to fill in small gaps in the Drakes Bay area; 9) Radman Aerial Surveys 1:12,000 April 1993 Natural Color Prints covering Angel Island; 10) Only the Black and White DOQQ (San Francisco NE) was available for Alcatraz Island. Additionally, supplemental DAIS imagery for October 2001 was acquired after the project was started, which was then used to re-interpret some of the original work. There is an inherent margin of error in the use of aerial photography for vegetation delineation and classification.
Project Leader: Dave Schirokauer - National Park Service (NPS), Vegetation Ecolotgists: Todd Keeler Wolf - California Department of Fish and Wildlife and Pam van der Leeden - National Park Service (NPS), Photo Interprter: John Meinke - Aerial Information Systems, Contract Coordinator: Doug Cribbs - ESRI
Any person using the information presented here should fully understand the data collection and compilation procedures, as described in these metadata, before beginning analysis. The burden for determining fitness for use lies entirely with the user. For purposes of publication or dissemination, citations should be given to the National Park Service and the U.S. Geological Survey.
Extent
West | -123.036826 | East | -122.273682 |
North | 38.249925 | South | 37.429796 |
Maximum (zoomed in) | 1:5,000 |
Minimum (zoomed out) | 1:50,000 |
Any person using the information presented here should fully understand the data collection and compilation procedures, as described in these metadata, before beginning analysis. The burden for determining fitness for use lies entirely with the user. For purposes of publication or dissemination, citations should be given to the National Park Service and the U.S. Geological Survey.